Day Crisis Care Center Peer Support Specialist

Jefferson Blount St Clair Mental Health Authority; Birmingham (AL); On-site; USD 33,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

Jefferson Blount St Clair Mental Health Authority is seeking a Peer Support Specialist for the Crisis Care Center in Birmingham. You will assist clients in recovery planning, orient newcomers to services, and connect individuals with community resources.

Responsibilities include facilitating recovery-focused activities, maintaining records, and coordinating transportation and handoffs to community providers as part of a multidisciplinary team.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED required.
• Self-identify as a current or former client with a mental illness and/or substance use history.
• Valid Alabama driver's license and acceptable driving record.
• Alabama Certified Peer Specialists Adult Certification preferred.

Responsibilities

• Assist clients in recovery planning and identifying barriers to goals.
• Orient individuals to the Crisis Care Center on entry.
• Help clients recognize personal strengths and recovery skills.
• Facilitate groups and activities focusing on self-advocacy and resources.
• Maintain clinical records in accordance with agency policies and trainings.
• Provide transportation and warm handoffs to community providers.

Skills

Communication skills

Crisis intervention

Advocacy & empowerment

Team collaboration

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Alabama Certified Peer Specialists Adult Certification

Job description

Job Location: 401 BEACON PARKWAY WEST - BIRMINGHAM, AL 35209

Position Type: Full Time

Job Shift: Day

Peer Support Specialist

Normal Work Hours/Days: 7:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Monday - Friday

Location: Crisis Care Center

The Crisis Care Center is designed to provide crisis stabilization to individuals experiencing a behavioral health and/or substance use crisis and reduce pressure on law enforcement and local emergency departments. Once the crisis has been resolved and the individual has been stabilized, they will be linked with a community mental health provider for on-going services. The Peer Support Specialist will be responsible for peer provided services at the Crisis Care Center. Additionally, the Peer Support Specialist will assist in developing and implementing innovative programs that will provide support to individuals who receive crisis services from the Crisis Care Center and link them with community resources.

PRIMARY JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Assist clients in determining reasonable and holistic steps moving into recovery and identifying barriers to recovery goals.
• Act as a navigator to orient individuals to the Crisis Care Center upon entry into services
• Assist clients with identifying personal strengths in daily living and recovery skills.
• Engage and assist individuals in identifying strengths which aid and act as barriers that impede the recovery process.
• Facilitate groups and structured activities focusing on self-advocacy, wellness, problem solving, identification and use of community and agency resources.
• Maintain clinical records in accordance with agency policies including timely completion of documentation and agency required trainings/workshops
• Engage clients in basic exercise or physical activity
• Assist clients in building social skills in the community that will enhance job acquisition and promote successful community tenure.
• Provide follow up phone contact with individuals re: post discharge referrals for ongoing services.
• Maintain an updated resource listing for community partners and agencies to share with individuals.
• Provide transportation and warm handoff for individuals discharged from the Crisis Care Center to a community provider.
• Identify and recruit potential peer providers to help engage high utilizers and provide a positive manner to move towards recovery.
• Attend, keep current and utilize all trainings needed to perform position at the level needed to ensure consumer needs are met.
• Other duties and tasks as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• High School Diploma or GED required
• Self-identify as a current or former client with a mental illness and/or substance use history
• Currently maintaining healthy recovery from mental illness and/or substance use
• Valid Alabama driver's license and driving record acceptable to agency automobile insurance carrier for inclusion on agency policy.
• Must show and maintain car insurance equal to or more than the State of Alabama standards for automobile insurance coverage.
• Alabama Certified Peer Specialists Adult Certification (highly preferred).

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES:

• Demonstrated experience with and knowledge of the Alabama public mental health system
• Knowledge of advocacy, self-help, and empowerment programs for recipients of mental health services
• Ability to convey a message of hope and recovery for people with psychiatric disabilities
• Ability to communicate effectively with individuals with serious mental illness and substance use disorders
• Ability to communicate effectively with Crisis Care Center staff
• Trained in or willing to be trained in crisis intervention, specifically Therapeutic Options
• Knowledge of community resources
• Ability to work cooperatively with a multidisciplinary treatment team
• Ability to work independently
• Ability to identify problem situations of client care and treatment and build rapport with individuals
• Ability to use a computer for client record keeping and able to perform basic navigation functions in an electronic medical record